1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for connecting together first and second circuit boards.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrical connector is known which electrically and mechanically connects together, for example, a memory control board called a "mother board" and a daughter board, such as a single-in-line memory module (SIMM).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,765 discloses an electrical connector having a resin housing on which a mother board is mounted and one pair of metal latch members for holding a daughter board in a sandwiched relation.
This daughter board mount surface of the housing has a slot for receiving the base end of the daughter board. Contact terminals are prodded in the slot to make electrical contact between the mother board and the daughter board. A pair of posts are formed integral with the housing such that the post is projected at each end of the slot. The post has a boss to be fitted in the corresponding opening of the daughter board.
Latch receiving members are projected on both ends of the daughter board mount surface with the pair of posts interposed. The latch receiving member is boxlike in configuration with the metal latch members received therein. The metal latch member is inserted in the latch receiving member and, by so doing, fixed to the housing.
The daughter board inserted into the slot is rotated at an area between the paired metal latch members. At this time, the paired latch members are pushed out, by the side edges of the daughter board, in a direction to allow the paired latch members to be elastically flexed away from each other. When the daughter board takes a predetermined attitude, the boss of the post is fitted in the associated opening and the paired latch members are elastically returned back to their initial states so that the daughter board is held in a sandwiched relation. By so doing, the daughter board is latched at a predetermined attitude.
In order to receive the latch member, it is necessary that the cross-sectional dimension of the latch receiving member be made greater than the transverse area between the latch members. Since such relatively great latch receiving member is projected at the housing, more resin material is needed due to a larger outer configuration of the housing. It is not easy to mold a housing of such a complex configuration. As a result, the electrical connector is complex to manufacture and high in manufacturing cost.
Further, it is cumbersome to incorporate the metal latch member in the box-like latch receiving member and it is proved noneffective to assemble the electrical connector. In order to set the metal latch members in place such that they are inserted in the latch receiving member, the internal configuration of the latch receiving member and associated external configuration of the metal latch member become complex.